Blend crust ingredients, and shape into a crust in a pan...place the rest of the crust ingredients aside and put on top of the cake later.....Blend the rest of the ingredients, except for the 1 cup of chopped strawberries. When blended, add the chopped strawberries and mix in with a spoon, do not blend! Then, pile the mixture on top of the crust, and decorate with chopped strawberries and the extra crust crumble! :) ta dum!

Now, blend all ingredients until smooth...taste, if its not sweet enough, add some more honey....blend.... and layer on top of the crust. Then decorate with blueberries, nuts, coconut...whichever you prefer! Freeze for a couple hours, then serve cold.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

You are not inferior to me, and you are not superior to me; you are no better than anyone, nor are you any worse than anyone.We are equal, without measurements. Don’t compare, or judge. Don’t call names, or make comparisons to any woman or man.Step back, and realize we are the same but unique to each other. Every time you go to compare yourself to another, or judge another or call someone a name, become aware of this. Every time you see a model, or a woman dressed in rags, do not label them. See them as a human, and equal to yourself. Be open to this,andPractice this everyday. <3

Monday, December 7, 2009

These are very very easy to make, its a great alternative to the bread wraps...and much healthier :)

Ingredients:

1 Large Collard Leaf... (Bought in a head, just like lettuce)

then any veggies you want to add

add salt and pepper, olive oil

To make this it is very simple, just put the veggies you want in the center and role it up! I forgot to take the picture of it actually rolled up...got a little excited. lol but you role it up the exact same as you would a normal wrap.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Raw - VeganKale Salad

When I first came across Kale, I was very intimidated by it. At first I danced around it, I threw it in my shakes, but never ate it as a salad. But, as time past, I wanted to try eating it just as a salad...and so I did. Its not as bitter as I thought it would be and its actually quite tasty if its mixed with the right ingredients; I always mix in a sweet fruit, like grapes or an apple to sweeten it up.

Ingredients:

1 apple, or a cup of grapes cut in halves

a bunch of kale, cut up into smaller peices

from here you can add in any veggies you have in the fridge :)

mushrooms

peppers

avacado

carrots

onions

.....you get the idea

Toss all ingredients you choose in a bowl, add some olive oil and salt and pepper...tadummm!

Protein is so essential for vegetarians; we miss out on all the protein that many meat eaters get on a daily basis. For many people out there, they believe that the protein industry is just a way of making money, and although this is true for a lot of body builders and gym enthusiasts, WE DO NEED PROTEIN for our bodies to function; it is what keep our cells functioning. Protein is the building blocks of hormones, enzymes, muscles, and our immune system. So knowing this, don't go out to a gym and buy the first can of protein that you see...go to a health food store, talk to a manager and get their advice...READ the ingredients. If you are RAW, there is RAW hemp protein powder out there. If you are vegan, go find a vegan protein...right now I am using Vegan Proteins+ as shown in the picture down below...its absolutely delicious and it uses the natural flavouring of vanilla beans.

For me because I eat eggs, I go ahead and add a raw egg to my shake every once and a while for added protein, but obviously, if you are vegan and if you are fully raw, this isnt something I think is necessary! :)

These are a fairly simple meal, you can pretty much add in any kind of vegetable that you want! The trick is finding RAW nori, a lot of places dont sell it, so go to a larger health food store, or call around first!

Ingredients (pick any of these vegetables and any amount, or add in your own)

Raw Nori slices

cut up olives

cut up red peppers

cut up carrots

cut up letuce

sprouts

sliced avacado

etc.

Now, lay out the nori sheet, put some mashed up avacado along the edge so that when you roll it they stick together. Lay out your vegetables a quarter of the way up the sheet, and roll! Cut them into about 5 peices per sheet. I sprinkled some onion salt and hemp seeds on top just for taste.

Cake: Put avacados in Vita-Mix, along with coconut oil, your choice of either the protien powder or raw cacao powder and the honey or agave. Blend til creamy!

Crust: Put nuts and dates in food processor. Ta-dumm...spread out into a round circle, I used a pie dish to make it round, then I took it out and put it on a plate

Dressing: Mix ingredients in blender and put aside.

Now, take the cake ingredients and pile it onto the crust, spread it out so its even and in a circle, I left it so there was still a little bit of crust all around the cake. Once youve done this, I poured the dressing on the cake, leaving a little bit aside for when the cake is being cut. Then I sprinkled some coconut on top...and thats it. Put in freezer for a few hours! Serve with extra chocolate dressing.

Friday, November 13, 2009

The World Health Organisation describes a genetically modified organism as an organism in which the DNA has been altered in a way that would not have occurred naturally, and also the cross transfer of genes from one species to another, whether or not they are related (WHO). Genetically modified organisms also go by an assortment of different names such as “modern biotechnology”, “gene technology”, “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic engineering”. Any of these names can be used interchangeably, as they each have the same definitions, and the same outcomes.

The following list comes from a bunch of different research papers out there, that conducted studies on rats, mice, pigs, etc....each of the studies lasted anywhere from a week to 90 days:

Health Issues

-they found changes in their intestinal system, abnormalities in the liver and kidneys, an increase in bacteria,

-an immune system response that was noted was the increase of three types of blood cells, basophils, lymphocytes and total white blood cell count, and additionally more sluggish immune systems and also inflammatory responses were recorded,

-rats gave birth to a large quantity of stunted babies, and nearly half the litter was dead by three weeks,-Bovine Growth Hormone was given to cows every two weeks (which about 17 percent of milk cows in the US are inserted with), and found that they had around 10 times the amount of insulin growth factor, known to give humans breast, colon and prostate cancer,-rats actually had smaller brains, smaller livers and smaller and discoloured testicles.Environmental issues-GMOs try to protect themselves by killing off targeted weeds, therefore creating super weeds which find their way to adapt to the herbicides,-The same thing has been documented with pests, where they actually become super pests, who become resistant overtime as they try to adapt to the pesticides,

-Another large issue is the loss of biodiversity. What scares many environmentalists is that because GMs are becoming so abundant, they may outgrow the native crops. This is how loss of biodiversity happens; larger companies monopolize crops, gain rights to them, and consequently take out the smaller farmers, and all of the organic nutrition that goes along with them,

-Terminator seeds. These are sterile seeds that are produced by large companies, so that every year instead of the farmer saving his seeds like he normally would, he has to keep buying the terminator seeds from the large companies because they rot in the ground every year.

So when our governments say that there are no problems with GMOs in the human body, think twice. These are only short term studies that have been documented...and GMOs have only been in existance for about 14 years or so...think about what happens in the long term to your body. The government will continue to deny, because well...theyre in it for the money. So ask yourself...where do all these new diseases come from, how come we have such a great risk of developing disease? Think. Ask questions. Don't just buy because its cheaper, because its not in the long run. Dont eat things that are so unnatural, your body wont recognize it. Eat fresh, each local, eat organic, eat conciously...meet your farmer. ASK QUESTIONS.

SAY NO TO GMOs!!

i do not claim any of the above information to be mine, so feel free to ask for references <3

Put all ingredients into the blender, and blend until smooth. Spread onto a teflon sheet, not tooo thin, or they will just break (fill the whole sheet and shape it into a square), and dehydrate for 4 hours flip them cut them into as big of pieces as you want, and dehydrate for another 2 hours, so that they aren't crispy, but bendable. Then fill them up with whatever veggies you've got in the fridge, and put a little olive oil on for dressing with salt and pepper!

I suggest that everybody watches this movie...literally everyone. If you eat, you need to watch it. Did you know that McDonalds played a part in creating the tomatos that you bought at the supermarket? Or the lettuce in the salad you just made. Did you know that the majority of food in the supermarket is all controled by a total of about 3 or 4 major companies, which only care about profit? For the meat eaters out there, do you know what is done to your meat? Do you know what fillers are used, what chemicals are used, and what harm is done not only to the animals, but the environment as well. Do you know who makes your food? Are you allowed to look inside the kitchen of where your food is processed? These are the types of questions that this movie starts to answer. It suggests to BUY LOCALLY, meet your farmers, grow your own gardens! It doesn't attempt to make you feel guilty, it attempts to make you aware, to ask the questions you deserve to know. And truthfully, the only way that we can stop the poor handling of our food is by doing something about it ourselves, its in the consumers hands, we are the only ones that can make the big companies change.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

1/2 vanilla bean...optional but worth it :) yum.1 tsp temon juice...again this is optional if you like lemon..most of my fam likes it without the lemon

Mix all the ingredients in a vita mix, it should all clump together. Take it out add a handful of shredded coconut so that you have larger chunks, and put it on the teflon dehydrator tray...this is when you can either make it into balls, or attempt to use a cookie cutter like i did to make something that looks like..maybe a pumpkin or a ghost???? haha. it was my first attempt, and it was hard because they kept falling apart, id suggest just rolling them into bite size balls. Dehydrate at 104 degrees for about 8 hours, or longer if you like them extra crunchy!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Mix ingredients all together, adding water in last. Spread onto dehydrator Teflon sheet, spreading evenly and thinly to create an oval shape. Dehydrate at 104 degrees for 4 hours, flip over then dehydrate another hour.

Cheeze Ingredients:1 tsp pepper1 tsp sea salt1 cup sunflower seeds2 tsp lemon1 clove of garlic¼ of a pepperHandful of spinach¼ of a carrot¼ cup of water

You can start this at the same time as your prepping your crust. Put all ingredients into the vita-mix and blend until creamy. Ta-dum, finished. Add a little more salt or pepper to taste if you find it needs more flavour.

Pizza Ingredients:Add whatever you want on top, I used sundried tomatoes, spinach, olives.

When the bread is done, load on the cheeze and spread out evenly, then add the pizza ingredients. Cut it like a pizza, and enjoy!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Raw - VeganChunky ChocolateIngredients:

¾ cup walnuts

½ cup coconut3 tbsp hemp seeds2 tbsp agave2 tbsp cacao

3 tbsp sunflower butter

Mix all together. You can add another tbsp of cacao powder if you like it really chocolatey! Place in the bottom of a dish by squishing in down ontop of parchment paper. Put in fridge for storage. Eat after chilled. :)

Afterwards I added a little bit of coconut and some extra walnut peices on top just for decoration. Everyone seemed to really love these, they were gone within a day....so make a few batches if youve got a lot of people around, they go fast!!

Unfortunately sometimes school gets the best of me...homework, presentations...etc..work...etc. BUT, what I did find in my homework this week was that here in Canada we are unable to see the definition of what ORGANIC means, along with the list of substances that goes into our organic food...unless we pay 30$ per document...this was my presentation from yesterday. What concerns me here, is what are they trying to hide? Why cant the average person see this content? WHY WHY WHY WHY?!?! This left me with so many questions and concerns...it scares me, it leaves me feeling insecure with my purchases, is organic really better? And so I was off to search through article after article...and it left me to find that no one to this date has proved that organic is actually better for you nutritionally....URGH. Obviously its better environmentally, and politically...but over everything, I care about what goes into my body. I care about my health, and my families health. So why am I paying more for organic food, when the government here in Canada can not even prove to me that organic is truly better for my body? http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/cgsb/on_the_net/organic/index-e.htmlThis is the website the CFIA sends you to to find the organic information, yet it leads you to a dead end. How are we letting them get away with this in Canada. Can anyone help me out here?

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

(NaturalNews.com) You may see a little more pink in the windows of department stores this month as the "pink ribbon" usually becomes the must-have accessory for October. That's because it's breast cancer awareness month- a month where fashionistas and survivors come together to show their support for the cause. But besides donning a yourself out in pink, you can also educate yourself and others about essential breast cancer prevention methods.

Balancing a healthy lifestyle with healthy choices is key in all cancer prevention. According to the American Cancer Society, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes. There are many things you can do to prevent yourself from becoming a statistic.

Lifestyle factors such as regular exercise, increasing vitamin D intake, and eating a low-fat diet can help reduce your risk of getting breast cancer. All the prevention methods listed here can all help you live a well-balanced life - one full of energy and vitality:

Alkalize your blood. A healthy pH balance - the ratio of alkalinity to acidity in the body - is crucial to being cancer-free. Cancer thrives in acidic environments but is unable to survive in alkaline ones. Edgar Cayce, typically referred to as the "father of holistic medicine," consistently emphasized the importance of maintaining a proper acid/alkaline balance in the body. Cayce said that "a normal diet is about twenty percent acid to eighty percent alkaline-producing." Make sure your diet is rich in alkalizing foods such as green vegetables, beans, spices, herbs, seeds and nuts. Limit your consumption of alcohol, coffee, meat, fish, poultry and eggs. You can measure your pH levels with litmus strips to be sure your body is more alkaline than acidic.

Go braless! Or at least limit how many hours a day you wear a bra. Bras restrict the flow of lymph within breast tissue which hinders the breast's natural cleansing process. Multiple studies done on bras have shown some astounding results. Women in Figi who don't wear bras have almost no incidence of breast cancer. In a Harvard study researchers found that women who wore their bras 24 hours per day had a 3 out of 4 chance of developing breast cancer compared to women who wore their bras less than 12 hours per day and had a 1 out of 152 risk.

Eat your veggies. Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli may protect against breast cancer because they lower levels of estrogen which is a hormone that plays a role in tumor growth. Additionally isothiocyanates- the anti-cancer compounds found in broccoli- can help in the detoxification of your liver and can rid your body of carcinogens.

Get some sun! Vitamin D is a hormone that your body naturally produces when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is essential to your body but as many as 36% of us are deficient in Vitamin D. According to Science Daily, Vitamin D protects us from breast cancer by stimulating a protein that prevents breast cancer cells from growing. Fair-skinned individuals need just 15 minutes of sun a day while 20 to 30 minutes is needed for darker skinned people. In the winter months make sure to get your Vitamin D from fish oil, mushrooms and Vitamin D supplements.

Get regular exercise: The Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina has done multiple studies showing that moderate exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer. Exercising promotes the circulation of oxygen in the blood and floods cells with enough oxygen to get rid of cancer. Cancer cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment. Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes 5-6 times a week.

Drink green tea. According to a study published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry the EGCG in green tea aids in preventing breast cancer. The polyphenols-powerful antioxidants found in green tea- can prevent cancer cells from growing. Drink 1-3 cups of caffeine-free green tea per day.

Eat a low-fat diet. A diet high in fat significantly increases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute concluded that women with high-fat diets had a 32 percent higher risk of getting breast cancer than those who followed a low-fat diet.

Try Black Cohosh. This is an herb used typically to treat the side effects associated with menopause. A recent study showed that extracts from Black Cohosh may stop breast cancer cells from forming.

The true cause of cancer can depend on a number of factors. Diet, environmental factors, and genetics all play a role. By making healthy lifestyle choices you can dramatically tip the odds in your favor and enjoy a vibrant, healthy, cancer-free life.

Put all ingredients into a large bowl, and put water in last to blend together (other recipes I've seen always use a lot more water, but I find it dehydrates a lot better if you use about a cup for this mixture, you can add a little more if you find it does not spread well).

Next your going to spread it on your dehydrator teflon sheets, you'll probably need two trays. Also, you might find it spreads a little difficulty, as there are chuncks of apple in it, hense why you should be slicing and dicing the apple very finely! Turn your dehydrator on to about 110 degrees.

After 4 hours flip and cut the bread into as big or as little of pieces that you'd like. Then dehydrate another hour and EAT! Yummm.

Instructions:Put all ingredients into a large bowl, and put water in last to blend together (other recipes I've seen always use a lot more water, but I find it dehydrates a lot better if you use about a cup for this mixture, you can add a little more if you find it does not spread well). Next your going to spread it on your dehydrator teflon sheets, you'll probably need two trays. Turn your dehydrator onto about 110 degrees.

After 4 hours flip and cut the bread into as big or as little of pieces that you'd like. Then dehydrate another hour! FINI!

Raw - VeganOnion Bread

Ingredients:2 cups group flax seeds (ground it first then measure it)2/3 cup whole flax seeds1 teaspoon sea salt1 cup water4 tablespoons of onion, i personally like the spanish onion and you can cut them as big or small as you'd like them, I like the look of when they are longer slices.1 garlic clove minced2/3 cup sunflower seeds1/4 cup black or yellow sesame seeds

Instructions:Put all ingredients into a large bowl, and put water in last to blend together (other recipes I've seen always use a lot more water, but I find it dehydrates a lot better if you use about a cup for this mixture, you can add a little more if you find it does not spread well). Next your going to spread it on your dehydrator teflon sheets, you'll probably need two trays. Turn your dehydrator onto about 110 degrees.

After 4 hours flip and cut the bread into as big or as little of pieces that you'd like. Then dehydrate another hour!

Instructions:Again, I started this pie a day in advance. I started with the crust, blending the dates, almonds and sea salt together with my hands (or you could use a food processor). Before I put the mixture into the pie plate I spread out some very finely chopped almonds so that the dates wouldn’t get stuck to the bottom of the plate. Then I flattened the mixture into the shape of the plate before I placed it into the plate so that I wouldn’t mess up the almonds. Then I pinched all around the edge of the pie crust just to make it look nice!

The syrup is very easy, I put the peeled orange into the vita-mix with the dates on top and then the water. I found that I didn’t used all of the syrup on my pie though, there was a lot left over. Don’t add this mixture till last!

The filling, I put the apples into a dish filled with water and lemon juice and let it sit for a few hours to soften them a little. Drain the apples, then mix some of the syrup mixture with the apples cranberries and cinnamon.

Finally, pile the apple mixture into the pie crust, and arrange them nicely.

Crust:2 cups shredded coconut½ cup mixed nuts... (I used raw pumpkin seeds and walnuts mixed to make a half a cup)¼ cup agaveA handful or two of sunflower seeds (added after the mixture is blended together)

Instructions:I personally started a day before I wanted this pie to be made. I started with the crust, putting the coconut, mixed nuts, and agave into the blender. Blend until smooth, then put into a 9 inch pie pan and spread out evenly into the shape of a crust. At first it will be a little soft, but that’s why I make it a day ahead of time so that I can put it in the fridge overnight to harden it up.

So the next day, start off by peeling the pumpkin. When I first heard this it confused me, but you literally peel a pie pumpkin like you would an apple. Pie pumpkins you can find at a local farm..usually around thanksgiving (they’re supposed to be a little bit more sweet). So, in this order, put the ingredients into the vita-mix (I would have put the pumpkin in a food processor first but I don’t have one): coconut milk, pumpkin, avocado, almonds, dates, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, honey, and agave. The blender will get stuck a few times so as you go you might want to throw in a little less than 1/3 more of coconut milk and use the tamper to mix it together. After its all blended, put the mixture right into the pie crust. Then you can decorate it, like I did mine!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Instructions:Put all ingredients into the vita-mix (putting the dates in last so they do not stick to the blades), and blend for about a minute. If you blend it too long it will not be as thick, and will be more watery....and that is not my aim!!

It looks, tastes, and is thick as a real milkshake...except theres no milk :) mmmmm...so good.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

So the first thing that I will let you know about is my shampoo and conditioning routine. To begin with, I must let you know that I used to be a bleachblonde-aholic. I would dye my hair every month, killing and frying my hair, along with completely exposing myself to a long list of chemicals. So right now, I am on the mission to reverse about 4 years of serious damage.

As for hair products, I used to use the normal salon products, until one day it hit me...there are probably a lot of chemicals in these products. And to no surprise, after researching, I found that there were so many irritants and multiple disease causing chemicals added to SO many of my products that I had at home. This feeling is a scary one, especially knowing that I had been using these products all of my life....so I was on a new mission, to become au naturel with my hair.

Sandro and I first started off going with organic hair products, thinking that it was probably a lot better for us than the regular shampoo and conditioner that I already had. But as time past, our hair was still feeling dry, my hair was still breaking we were getting minor irritations on our skin, and it didn't feel like this shampoo and conditioning idea was going well at all. So I started to research....and I found that although these "organic" shampoos and conditioners were labeled "organic"..they were not necessarily any better for you than our old routine.

This left me researching the "No-Poo" option....that is NO SHAMPOO; we decided to leave the chemicals behind. And of course this makes sense...why would we spend all that money on these products, that were just leaking into our skelp, and our skin and into our bodies? And now you may ask how do you not shampoo your hair without it becoming an oily mess?

First off you must know, that like many things, our body over creates the things that we strip away from it. This includes the oil in our hair. The more that we strip away, the more that it will create to try and compensate for this. So, by starting the NO-POO routine, you may find your hair trying to adjust for the first little bit, but no fear...it will soon adjust. And you will have a well balanced natural head of hair, chemical free.

Step ONE: GET RID OF ALL SHAMPOO....and CONDITIONER. easy.

Step TWO: At this point I believe there are two options...go into your kitchen and get some baking soda..which many people are saying works wonders...or get a castile soap like Dr. Bronners.

OPTION TWO. MSM SHAMPOO1 tbsp of MSM, 250 ml of Dr Bronners Castile soap and mix that with about a quarter cup of water.Work this into your wet hair, and rinse.

Or you can do what we do, which is get a brand like Dr. Bronners, and make your own shampoo. The great thing that I've learned about Dr. Bronners is that his castile soaps are all natural and made out of pure oils. It is a natural way to cleanse, that does not leave your hair oily. Here are his ingredients in his Lavendar Classic Liquid Soap: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut Oil*, Saponified Organic Olive Oil*, Organic Glycerin, Organic Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Lavandula Hybrida (Lavandin) Extract, Citric Acid, Tocopherol (Vit. E), (* Certified Fair Trade by IMO).

And you might ask why I put MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) into my shampoo..? In the past I have heard that sulfur is the beauty mineral...it helps to form collagen and connective tissues...apparently is plays a big role in our skin, hair and nails. And so I add it because MSM is an organic source of the compound, therefore it is supposed to help repair hair, promote silkiness, and a manageability and a healthy scalp.

STEP THREE: Do an apple cider vinegar rinse. This step is just to add a little shine, and remove any residue buildup.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR RINSE1 part ACV, 1 part water.Use as little or as much as you want...Pour over your wet just "No-pooed" hair and rinse out with water. Try not to get your roots, as I heard this may make it a little more oily. although my scalp doesn't mind it.

Now, I recommended washing your hair every couple of days...I like to try every third day. And I do not find my hair getting greasy, and I actually find I have more curls. On top of all of this, I like to add a little bit of coconut oil to coat my hair at night time for a deep conditioning treatment. You can wash it out in the morning, and you will not find any oily residue.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

I guess I started all of this to help motivate myself, and everyone else out there. I wouldn't consider myself a 100% raw foodist, so I don't label myself as that. Some days I getoff track...and this can sometimes happen for weeks. Last summer (2008) I was eating McDonalds at least twice a week, the Big Mac meal was my ultimate favourite. Then earlier this year (2009) I became aware of raw foodism through my boyfriend Sandro who showed me Gabriel Cousens' video Raw for 30 Days. We were both curious of what raw foodism was, and soon found out that it had so many health benefits, and since then we've been experimenting. I am now on a vegetarian diet, but not what I would label a vegetarian because I still believe in eating free run eggs. I guess you could say that I just don't believe in labels, or definitions of yourself. Eckhart Tolle (the author of A New Earth, a must read) said:

"give up defining yourself - to yourself or to others.

you wont die. you will come to life.

and dont be concerned with how others define you. when they define you, they are limiting themselves, so its their problem."

So lately I've been applying this quote to my life on a daily basis. Its a good reminder to stop labeling yourself and those around you...as it truly does limit us. So am I a raw foodist? Not quite...maybe 85% of my daily diet. Am I a vegetarian? Mostly. Am I open to change and new information? Always.

Anyways, I think that this journey I've been on is all a part of being human, its a learning process, two steps forward one step back. I guess you can say that I'm aspiring to become as healthy, natural, happy and intelligent as I can be in this lifetime, and this is where I feel I can take my first steps.

On this site you will find all sorts of ways to live more consciously, from healthy raw and vegan recipes, to healthy practices to rid yourself of mind and ego.I called this website, 'Presently Conscious' because I understand that life is a paradox...one minute we are presently conscious, trying to rid ourselves of all negativity, but the next minute we might fall back into our old habits. Its always two steps forward and one step back...this too is the way. But if we can try our hardest everyday to make positive changes for ourselves, and the ones around us, then this to me is success.